Mop



Patented Apr. 30,1940

"UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE MOP Joseph D. Bates, West Springfield, Mass. Application May 17, 1937, Serial No. 143,176 Claims. (01. 15-119) This invention relatesto mops and, more par- Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line ticularly, has to do with mops having means as- 3-4 of Fig. l; sociated therewith for squeezing water or other Fig. 3a is a view similar to Fig. 3, but shows liquid out of the mop material. the parts in wringing position;

5 It has heretofore been" proposed to provide a Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second form 5 mop comprising a mopping member-having aswhich the invention may take, and sociated therewith two wings or squeezing plates Fig. 5 is a sectional viewv taken onthe line which are adapted to be brought into engagement 5-5 of Fig. 4. with opposite sides of the mop member in order A co d to h s v t I P p to to squeeze the same therebetween, a device of vide amop device which preferably comprises an 10 this type being disclosed and claimed in my prior elongated mopping element and means associ- Patent No. 2,014,488. Such a mopping device ated therewith for squeezing the mop element in has many advantages in ease of operation and order to remove water or other liquid therefrom squeezing. and in the present invention it is proafter use of the device. Qne form which the posed to retain those advantages, although ininvention may take is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, l6

eluding them in a structure having a simpler and 3 and 3a of the an ex d drawin a d, ef rri more economic form of construction and emto such figures, it will be seen that the device bodying a somewhat different method of squeezcomprises a m pp element which i prefing. erably formed of sponge rubber or similar ma-' go It is an object of this invention toprovide a, terial, and which is considerably elongated and g mopping device which will have associated thereis p f ably r ta u ar in r ss-se t on- This with a plate which may be moved either into or pp element is Provided with an elongated out of engagement with the mop element and supp rt n or a k n frame 2 whi 'is p f rwhich, when moved into engagement therewith, ably p d in cross-section One of t e e may be further operated to move the m p legitudinal edges of the mop element is inserted 5 ment into engagement with a fixed face or abut- Within the ap hacking member 2 d is ment, whereby the mop elem nt may b squeezed held therein by forcing the sides or free ends of between the movable plate and such abutment. the u-s pe backing member into engagement In accordance with one form which my in- With the mop member. desired, one of the so vention may take, the mop element may be sides of the backing mem r may be cut of! beso moved against a fixed part of the mop support.- tween the bottom thereof and the free edge of ing structure, this being a particularly sim le such side, and an elongated plate 3 may be atand economical form of eonstruetion In a tached to the face of such shortened leg of the other form which the invention may take the P member. as l rly illu tratedin Figs. 1

a mop element may be moved against a fixed plate and 2. Ifsuch a construction is employed, the 35) which is attached to the mop structure. If de'- adia t free ed s f t e plat -3 and of the resired, this fixed late may be mploy d al a a maining side of the U-shaped member may be means for supporting a, squeegee or oth r wiping forced inwardly against the sides of the mop eled i ment I and may be turned inwardly toward each 4. Other objects of the invention and features of 0th", as at in Order firmly mm the 111? 40 nqvelty th r f w be apparent f om the element within the channel shaped backing lowing description of the invention and from the member- A ferrule 5 may be attached to the annexed drawing, it being particularly underchannel'shaped backing 2 in any stood, however, that the invention is not limited sired manner in order to pmvlde means for a taching a haandle to the mop device for operain any way by such description and drawing, or on thereof.

otherwise than by appended claims Means are provided by the invention for Referring to the drawing in which similar squeezing the mop element in order to remove reference numerals refer t0 like Parts: water or other liquid therefrom, and in the form 0 1 is pelspecflve View of a mop device of the invention illustrated in Figs. .1 to 3a the formed accordin to th present invention; mop element is adapted to be squeezed between 2 is a perspective e of P Of the a movable plate and one of the fixed sides of the p disclosed in P 1 n h wing, i D r i llbacking member 2. Such a construction preferlar, the means for-hinging and, latching the ably embodies a plate which may be normally squeezing wing thereof; disposed in an inoperative position away from the mop element and which may, when desired, be moved into engagement with the mop element in order to squeeze the mop element between the plate and the fixed side wall of the backing member. Such a plate is illustrated at 6 in Figs. 1 to Be, and comprises an elongated member which is preferably slightly curved in cross-section and which is provided with an up-standing handle member 1 which may be grasped in order to operate the plate to its various positions.

Means are provided for pivotally. mounting the squeezing plate 6 adjacent the mopping element, and such means are provided by first cutting, in the channel-shaped backing element, spaced apertures 8 which extend entirely through the backing member as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The apertures formed in plate member 3 are so formed as to leave bridges 9 extending across the apertures and preferably adjacent the free longitudinal edge thereof. These bridges provide means upon which the plate 6 may be pivotally mounted. Extending from the plate 6, and being spaced along the longitudinal length thereof a distance equal to the spacing of the apertures 8, are two curved arms ID the free ends of which are coiled about the bridge members which span the apertures 8. Thearms II! are so disposed that they may move within and through the apertures 8 in the backing member 2 when the squeezing plate is moved from operative to inoperative position. It will be seen that when the squeezing plate is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be in an inoperative position to the rear of and out of engagement with the mop element, whereby the mop may be employed for cleaning purposes without interference from the squeezing plate. If it is desired to squeeze water or other fluid out of the mop element, the plate may be moved, bygrasping the handle 1, about 40 the pivotal connection between the arms Ill and the bridge portions 9 in such a manner as to rotate the plate about such pivotal connections and into engagement with the side of the mop element. Further movement of the plate 5 will force the mop element I around the backing member and into engagement withthe fixed side thereof. It will be seen that by the exertion of suflicient pressure on the plate 6, the mop element may be squeezed between the plate and the side of the backing member.

Means are provided by the invention for releaseably retaining the plate 6 in inoperative position to the rear of the backing member 2. Such means comprise one or more extensions I I which are formed on the rear edge of the squeezing plate 6 and which, when the squeezing plate is in its inoperative position to the rear of the backing member, resiliently engage the side of the back- .ing member in order to releasably hold the plate in inoperative position. It will be apparent that the resilient engagement between the extensions I I and the backing member will be suiiicient only to hold the plate in inoperative position and that the plate may be easily removed from such position.

In a second form which the invention may take, the mop member is adapted to be moved into squeezing engagement with a fixed abutment or plate which is carried by the backing member. Such a form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing and, referring to these figures, it will be seen that the device disclosed in this modificationcomprises the elongated mop element which is preferably formed of sponge rubber or similar material and which is preferably rectangular in cross-section. The upper longitudinal edge of the mop element is'releasably held between two elongated plate members denoted generally at 2|, 22, each of which is member therebetween, and screw-threaded bolts 23 are extended through aligned apertures in these portions of the plate members and are provided with wing nuts 24 whereby the plate members 2Ia and 22a may be tightened against the sides of the mop member to hold the same firmly therebetween. The other portions 2Ib and 22b of the elongated plate members 2| and 22 are bent from the portions 2Ia' and 22a about an axis extending longtudinally of the plate member, and the portions Nb and 22b are spaced apart in order to receive therebetween one or more squeegee members 25 which may be formed of rubber or other suitable material. The plate members Nb and 22b may be attached together by rivets or other desirable attaching means 26. The plate members Zlb and 22b are preferably so arranged with respect to the mop element that when the mop element is in operative position on a floor or other surface, the platemembers 2Ib and 22b and the squeegee associated therewith will extend upwardly and forwardly from the mop device, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

Means are provided by this invention for forcing the mop member 20 into engagement with the rigid assembly formed by the plate members 2lb and 22b and the squeegee members included therebetween. Such means comprise the pivotal assembly or frame denoted generally at and comprising the two spaced curved arms 3| and 32 which are respectively pivotally connected to lugs 33, 34 which are formed on opposite ends of the plate member 2Ia. The arms 31 and 32 may be connected by a longitudinally extending member 35 which is so formed as to provide a handle 36 at its center portion by means of which the pivotal assembly may be operated. Rotatably journaled between the two arms 3| and 32, and preferably extending the entire length therebetween, is a roller 31 which is providedfor a purpose to be explained hereinafter. If desired, detent means such as 38 may be provided for releasably holding the pivoted assembly in inoperative position out of engagement with the mop element 20 and to the rear thereof. A ferrule 39 may be attached by any suitable means to the plate member 2lb in order to provide means for attaching a handle member to the mop device.

In the operation of the device described, it will be seen that the mop may be employed for cleaning purposes andthat, during such operation, the

( pivoted assembly 30 will be disposed in inoperative position to :the rear of the mop element, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, and will .be releasably held there by means of the detent means 38. When it is desired to squeeze water out of the mop element, the pivoted assembly 30 may be r0- tated about the pivotal connection thereof with the lugs 33, 34 into such a position that the roller 31 engages one side face of the mop element.

Continued movement of the pivoted assembly, which may be effected by means of the handle 36, will cause the mop element 20 to be bent about the line of the attachment to the plates 2 la, 22a and to be forced by the roller 31 into engagement wiping element by merely turning over or-reversing the entire device to cause the squeegee to be placed in operative relation to the surface which is to be. cleaned. In this use of the device the pivoted assembly 30 will of course be held in inoperative position by means of the detent ll.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms which my invention may take, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications of the invention may be made and that improvements may be made therein without outwardly from the backing and supporting memv ber to provide a mop portion, an elongated squeezing member arranged adjacent and in parallelism to said backing and supporting member and being pivotally connected thereto adjacent one of said side walls thereof, the pivotal connection of said squeezingmember to said backing and supporting; member being so constructed and ar-' ranged that the squeezing member may be moved from a position at the rear of the backing and I supporting member in which it is removed from the backing and supporting member with the opposite side wall of the mop portion in engagement with the side wall of the backing and supporting member which is opposite to the side wall adjacent which the squeezing plate is pivotally connected, whereby the mop portion is squeezed between the squeezing member andsaid side wall,

and means for normally maintaining the squeezing member out of engagement with said mop portion.

2. A mop device according to claim 1, in which the squeezing member comprises an elongated plate which is arcuate in cross-section, and which is pivotally connected to-said backing and supporting member by curved arms extending from one edge of said plate andhaving their free ends pivotally connected to one side wall of said backing and supporting member.

3. A mop device according-to claim 1, in which the squeezing member comprises a pair of spaced arms which are respectively pivoted adiacent the opposite ends of said backing and supporting member for movement toward and away from said mop portion, and an elongated member having its opposite ends connected to said arms.

' 4. A mop device according to claim 1, in which the'squeezing member comprises a pair of spaced arms which are respectively pivoted adjacent the opposite ends of said, backing and S pp rting member for movement toward and away from said mop portion, a handle member connecting said spaced arms and forming therewith an open frame,. and an elongated mop-engaging member having its opposite ends connected to said arms.

5. A mop device according to claim 1, in which at least one of said side walls has anelongated.

Qportion extending away from the mop portion and forming an obtuse angle with the portion thereof which engages the cleaning member.

6. A mop device according to claim 1,in which eachof said side walls has a portion extending away from the mop portion and forming an obtuse angle with the portion thereof which engages-l the cleaning member, said extending wall portions being spaced. apart to provide an elongated opening therebetween within which a squeegee is positioned" JOSEPH D. BATES. 

